DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 07/30/2024, 04/24/2025, and 04/14/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsieh et al. (US 9244504 B2) in view of Weng (US 20200205316 A1) (of record, cited in IDS), hereafter referred to as Hsieh and Weng, respectively.
With regards to claim 20, Hsieh discloses:
A heat-radiating structure of an electronic device (Contents of Fig. 7) comprising: a first electrical component (4) (Fig. 7); a plurality of second electrical components (2; Noted to optionally be an LCD which would have a plurality of sub-elements) (Fig. 7) spaced apart from the first electrical component (See Fig. 7); a support member (1; sides 11 and 12 visible) (Fig. 7) including a first surface (11) (Fig. 7) disposed to face the first electrical component (See Fig. 7) and a second surface (12) (Fig. 7) disposed to face the plurality of second electrical components (Col. 3 lines 26-28 state that at least one or both of surfaces 11 and 12 face 2.); and a heat-radiating member (14) (Fig. 7) configured to transfer heat generated from at least one of the plurality of second electrical components to the first electrical component (See Fig. 7; 14 mediates heat transfer between 2, 3, and 4. If part 2 were in operation, especially while part 4 was not, one would expect heat conduction from 2 to 4 by 14. See also In re Preda, 401 F.2d 825, 826, 159 USPQ 342, 344 (CCPA 1968).), wherein at least a portion of the heat-radiating member (14) (Fig. 7) is coupled to at least a portion of the first surface (First surface 11; 14 coupled by welding to 1, which includes 11.) (Col. 2 line 67 through Col. 3 line 3).
Hsieh does not disclose:
wherein the heat-radiating member is coupled by laser welding.
However, Weng discloses:
wherein the heat-radiating member is coupled by laser welding (Paragraph [0009] suggests laser welding a heat exchange element to a frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system of Hsieh with the laser welding technique described by Weng. One of ordinary skill in related art(s) would have been motivated to do so in order to improve structural strength and heat conducting performance (Paragraph [0009]).
Also, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined / modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination / modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the allowability resides in the overall structure and functionality of the device as recited in the subject matter of independent claims 1 and 16, and at least in part, because claims 1 and 16 recite the limitations:
(Claim 1): “…a support member configured to support the display and including: a first surface facing the display, a second surface facing in opposite direction to the first surface, and a first opening formed to penetrate at least a portion of the first surface and the second surface; a battery disposed on the second surface of the support member, wherein at least a portion of the battery faces the first opening; a printed circuit board disposed on the second surface of the support member and spaced apart from the battery; and a heat-radiating member configured to mediate heat transfer between the display and the printed circuit board, and comprising a first area and a second area coupled to the first area, wherein the first area is at least partially disposed to overlap the first surface, wherein the second is at least partially disposed in the first opening...”
(Claim 16): “…a support member configured to support the display and including: a first surface facing the display, a second surface facing in the opposite direction to the first surface, and a first opening formed to penetrate at least a portion of the first surface and the second surface; a battery disposed on the second surface of the support member; a printed circuit board disposed on the second surface of the support member and spaced apart from the battery; and a heat-radiating member configured to mediate heat transfer between the display and the printed circuit board, and including a first area having at least a portion disposed to overlap the first surface and a second area coupled to the first area and having at least a portion disposed in the first opening, wherein the first opening includes a (1-1)th opening disposed to face the battery, and a (1-2)th opening extending from the (1-1)th opening and disposed to face the printed circuit board...”
The aforementioned limitations, in combination with all remaining limitations of independent claims 1 and 16, are believed to render the subject matter as allowable over the prior art references of record, taken either alone or in combination.
Hsieh et al. (US 9244504 B2) and Weng (US 20200205316 A1) (of record, cited in IDS) are believed to be the closest prior art reference, and are discussed above.
However, Hsieh and Weng fail to disclose, at least, the aforementioned allowable limitations of independent claims 1 and 16.
The remaining prior art references teach various systems for cooling electronics, particularly those that have holes in support elements and those of similar form to the instant Application. However, none of the prior art references, taken alone or in combination, are believed to teach and/or suggest the aforementioned allowable limitations of independent claims 1 and 16.
Finally, the Office has not identified any double patenting issues. For all of the reasons outlined above, it is believed that the instant Application contains allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yang et al. (KR 20200119191 A), teaching a portable electronic device with a through-hole in a support bracket for a display.
Jung (KR 20210027975 A), teaching an electronic element being cooled by a heat transfer member placed within a through-hole in a support bracket.
Jung et al. (US 20200352057 A1), teaching an opening in a shielding member to allow heat transfer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE OXENKNECHT whose telephone number is (703)756-1976. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K.O./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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